Oman’s annual inflation rate accelerated to 3.6% in March 2026, up from 2.0% in February, reaching its highest level since February 2022. The increase was driven by faster price growth in several categories, notably food and non-alcoholic beverages (4.3% vs 2.8% in February), transport (9.4% vs 0.2%), miscellaneous goods and services (13.8% vs 13.4%), and restaurants and hotels (5.8% vs 5.7%).
Meanwhile, inflation was unchanged for furnishings, household equipment and routine household maintenance (3%), clothing and footwear (0.1%), recreation and culture (0.2%), and education (2.2%). Prices for housing and utilities, communication, and tobacco were flat.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices rose by 1.3% in March, the sharpest increase in nearly five years, following a 0.2% gain in February.